Childress opens up about Favre, Moss fiasco in Minnesota

Brad Childress has one big regret about the 2010 season, his last as head coach of the Minnesota Vikings. But it's not the one that likely comes to everyone's mind first.

Roaming the hallways of the NFL.com and NFL Network offices in Culver City, Calif., on Wednesday, Childress opened up about his unceremonious departure from Minnesota last November.

The Vikings decided to fire Childress 10 games into the season for many reasons. Their 3-7 record, for one. Their embarrassing 31-3 home loss to the Green Bay Packers in Week 11, another. But perhaps the biggest reason was Childress' odd jettisoning of Randy Moss -- without telling owner Zygi Wilf first -- just four weeks after the team traded for the receiver.

"I should have gone up the chain," Childress now admits.

Childress said he had no such regrets about bringing back the Vikings' other big headliner, quarterback Brett Favre, for another season. The courting of Favre last August brought vitriol from some corners because of his age (40) and the distraction he created by missing minicamp. But the Vikings were fresh off an NFC Championship Game appearance in 2009, and Favre was the man who took them there. Childress said it was a no-brainer to chase Favre rather than go into 2010 with Tarvaris Jackson at quarterback.

"(Favre) had his best season ever his first year (in Minnesota)," Childress said of Favre's 33-touchdown, seven-interception campaign. "Could you do more with Brett Favre? Absolutely you could."

It's easy to criticize in hindsight, after Favre stumbled through a 24-turnover, injury-marred campaign.

"We made a conscious effort to bring everybody back," Childress said. "What did we get for it? I got fired, and (Favre) got hurt. Did I feel like he was as sharp as he could've been? No."

As for the Moss fiasco, Childress said he wanted to acquire a player who would be a difference-maker for the Vikings after they got off to a disappointing 1-2 start. They needed a player who could stretch the field while Sidney Rice recuperated from an injury.

Enter Moss. He made a difference all right, unfortunately tipping the needle in the wrong direction.

"He called me and said, 'I can't wait, I can't wait. I feel like I'm coming home again,' " Childress recalled.

Despite Moss' reputation for loafing and being a distraction, Childress believed the receiver would be more mature with 12 seasons under his belt. He believed Moss wouldn't be a distraction in the locker room.

Uh, not so much.

"We had good guys, by and large," Childress said, "(but Moss) walked in the locker room and vomited on it."

Childress had tried to develop a better locker room since becoming the Vikings' head coach in 2005. He inherited a team coming off the "Love Boat" scandal and a quarterback (Daunte Culpepper) with a bad knee and not the best work habits.

By 2010, Childress believed he had righted the Vikings ship in the character department and could afford to take on Moss. But instead of augmenting that veteran leadership with another quality veteran, the Vikings got a 1-3 record, 13 receptions and at least as many headaches from Moss' tenure.

Was Childress the perfect coach? No. But he's a smart guy who started his career with a tiny stipend to assist Gary Moeller at Illinois. That was 1979. Childress' first job in the NFL was 26 years ago in Indianapolis with Rod Dowhower. Basically, he's a football lifer.

"Coaching is what I do," he said.

And he has enjoyed much success at it, despite being vilified since Leslie Frazier took over in Minneapolis. People forget how sought after Childress was while being a part of a Philadelphia Eagles staff that went to four consecutive NFC Championship Games. Charley Casserly in Houston called him, Ted Thompson in Green Bay called him and, of course, so did the Vikings. Remember, the failure in Minnesota wasn't solely his fault. He did what so many coaches do tactically, and got a lot further than many doing it.

That might be all he needs to answer for.

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If You Want Favre Vs Packers , You'll Pay For Chiefs Too

"A Brett Favre signing with the Vikings is expected to be announced in time for the start of the team's single-game ticket sales July 20.

The Vikings will play Favre's former team the Green Bay Packers on Monday night, Oct. 5, at the Metrodome on ESPN. The Vikings are planning to require anyone buying a ticket to that game to also buy a ticket to the Aug. 21 exhibition game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Meanwhile, a little birdie heard that Favre and wife Deanna last weekend made a $30,000 deposit on a condominium near 50th and France in Edina.

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Childress Says Favres 'Pain Free'

"Vikings fans rooting for the team to sign Brett Favre got more reasons to cheer on Friday: Coach Brad Childress said Favre is "pain-free right now" during a radio interview in which he lavished praise on the future hall of fame quarterback.

It was an important update on the status of Favre's surgically repaired arm. The widespread belief is that Favre will sign with the Vikings as long as his arm wouldn't prevent him from playing at a high level.

Childress' effusive comments serve as the latest mounting evidence that the Vikings want the marriage to happen, and Favre appears more ready, at least physically, to walk down the aisle.

"My understanding is that he is pain-free right now," Childress said during an interview with KFAN-AM 1130. "Does he have the endurance and the stamina in that arm yet? He doesn't know that yet. It's no different than grabbing a golf club for the first time during the year when you rip around 18 holes, and you wake up the next day and your side hurts. You say, 'Geez, I haven't felt that muscle in a while.' So he's got to build some endurance in that and see if he thinks he can get it back to where he wants to get it."

Childress again said that it is not a foregone conclusion that Favre will sign to play for the Vikings, but he spoke glowingly about him.

Vikings defensive end Ray Edwards said during a recent interview with ESPN that Favre could help the team win but that some of Favre's actions last season while with the New York Jets, including dressing in a separate area away from his teammates, wouldn't be welcomed in Minnesota. Edwards said he doesn't want Favre to bring his "prima-donna attitude" because he believes that "will break a team apart."

Childress told KFAN he wasn't bothered by Edwards' comments. "I think it was all in jest. Defensive linemen, usually by nature, hate quarterbacks, and that's OK."

Childress added: "I talked to (former Viking) Tony Richardson, who was (Favre's) teammate at the Jets. He had nothing but great things to say about him. Did I get into, Did he have a separate locker? It's hard for me to see that. Of course, I know how Winter Park is set up. I think he'll be a great locker room guy. He's probably one of the better practical jokers out there over the course of 16 years, and he's not afraid to give it to anybody, and I think he'll be a tremendous teammate, as well."

Childress said Favre understands the benefits of going through a full training camp with a team, and more pressing than getting to know the Vikings' offense would be getting to know his new teammates and their abilities on the field.

Don't expect the Favre signing to happen until close to training camp, though. Childress plans to leave Monday for a weeklong fishing trip to Alaska with Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid. And Childress' daughter, Cara, is getting married July 11 in the Twin Cities area.

Reports of Favre's diva attitude with the Jets would seem to run contrary to how he was perceived around the NFL by opponents and teammates throughout most of his career.

"I think what that is is that's a guy that plays with passion, to a degree wears his emotions on his sleeve," Childress said. "You really don't really like quarterbacks that ride a roller coaster. Obviously his standard was usually pretty good. Could he get wild? Could he throw some interceptions? Sure he could. But he plays the game with enthusiasm and with excitement. There's kind of a boyishness even though he's approaching 40 years old." "

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